Theo's POV
I shouldn't have stayed.
That was the first thought that hit me.
Not fear.
Not excitement.
Just—
A clear, quiet realization.
I had pushed too far.
Again.
The dummy in front of me still carried the mark.
Deeper than before.
Not just damage—
Distortion.
Like something had pressed into it—
Then let go.
"…That's not normal," I muttered.
Because it wasn't.
Water didn't behave like that.
Not even under pressure.
Not even with perfect control.
That—
Was something else.
I exhaled slowly.
Trying to steady myself.
Trying to think.
But the more I thought—
The clearer it became.
That moment—
When the attack fired on its own—
That wasn't just a mistake.
It was interference.
No—
Control.
Something had taken over.
Even if only for a second.
"…Void Core…" I whispered.
The name felt heavier now.
Not just a concept.
Not just something hidden.
Something active.
Watching.
Responding.
I clenched my hand slightly.
"…I need to understand this before—"
"You already should have."
My body froze.
Instantly.
That voice—
Calm.
Clear.
Too close.
I turned sharply.
And saw her.
Standing just behind the training line.
Not hiding.
Not stepping forward.
Just—
Watching.
Her long silver hair moved slightly with the breeze.
Her posture relaxed.
But her eyes—
Sharp.
Focused.
Locked directly on me.
Aeris Vale.
Of course it was her.
"…How long were you there?" I asked.
She didn't answer immediately.
Just tilted her head slightly.
"…Long enough."
That wasn't good.
"…You saw everything?"
"…Not everything," she said.
"…But enough to know that wasn't normal water magic."
Silence.
There was no point denying it.
Not after what just happened.
"…You shouldn't be here," I said.
"…And you shouldn't be doing that," she replied calmly.
No hesitation.
No fear.
Just—
Direct.
I exhaled slowly.
"…Then why aren't you reporting it?"
Because that was the real question.
Students didn't just ignore things like this.
Especially not someone like her.
Aeris studied me for a moment.
Then—
"…Because you didn't lose control."
I frowned slightly.
"…I didn't control it either."
"…But you didn't collapse. You didn't lash out. And you didn't panic."
A pause.
"…That matters."
I didn't respond.
Because she wasn't wrong.
But that didn't make it safe.
"…That kind of magic doesn't just appear," she continued.
"…And it definitely doesn't behave like that without a cost."
My chest tightened slightly.
Because I already felt it.
That pull.
That pressure.
Subtle—
But there.
"…You felt it, didn't you?" she asked.
I didn't answer.
But I didn't need to.
She already knew.
"…It pulls," she said quietly.
"…Not like normal mana."
My eyes narrowed slightly.
"…You're speaking like you've seen this before."
She didn't smile.
Didn't react.
Just—
Held my gaze.
"…Not exactly."
That wasn't reassuring.
"…Then what?" I asked.
A pause.
The wind shifted slightly between us.
"…Something similar," she said.
Not detailed.
Not clear.
But enough to confirm one thing.
She wasn't guessing.
She recognized it.
At least partially.
"…Then say it clearly," I said.
Because I needed to know.
If this was dangerous—
I couldn't afford half-answers.
Aeris looked at the dummy again.
At the mark left behind.
Then back at me.
"…That wasn't reinforcement," she said.
"…It was distortion."
My breath slowed slightly.
Because that word—
Fit too well.
"…And distortion magic doesn't come from water," she continued.
"…It comes from something deeper."
Silence.
The air between us grew heavier.
Not with pressure—
But understanding.
"…You think it's another core," I said.
Her eyes sharpened slightly.
"…You already know, don't you?"
I didn't answer immediately.
Because saying it out loud—
Made it real.
Made it harder to ignore.
"…Yeah," I said finally.
Aeris didn't look surprised.
Just—
More serious.
"…Then you also know what that means."
I did.
Two cores.
Two sources of power.
Two systems—
That might not work together.
"…It means I'm unstable," I said.
"…It means you're dangerous," she corrected.
Blunt.
Honest.
Accurate.
I didn't argue.
Because she wasn't wrong.
"…Then why are you still here?" I asked again.
"…If you think I'm dangerous."
Aeris stepped forward slightly this time.
Not aggressively.
Not cautiously.
Just—
Closer.
"…Because you're trying to control it," she said.
A pause.
"…And if you fail—"
Her gaze sharpened.
"…I'll stop you."
No hesitation.
No doubt.
Just—
Truth.
I stared at her for a second.
Then—
A small breath left me.
"…Fair enough."
Because that was the kind of answer I expected.
Not sympathy.
Not fear.
Just—
Clarity.
We stood there for a moment.
Silent.
The tension—
Not gone.
But balanced.
Then—
"…Show me again," she said.
I blinked.
"…What?"
"…That technique."
A pause.
"…The one that changed."
I hesitated.
Because that wasn't something I could just—
Recreate.
Not on command.
"…I don't control when it happens," I said.
"…Then we find the trigger," she replied.
Simple.
Direct.
Like it was obvious.
"…That's risky."
"…So is ignoring it."
Silence.
She wasn't wrong.
Again.
I exhaled slowly.
Then turned back to the dummy.
"…Fine."
Because avoiding it now—
Would only make it worse later.
I raised my hand slightly.
Letting the moisture gather again.
Slow.
Controlled.
A single sphere formed.
Stable.
Normal.
No distortion.
No pressure.
Just water.
Aeris watched closely.
Not the attack—
But me.
"…Again," she said.
I didn't argue.
Formed another.
Then another.
Then shifted—
Splitting the flow.
Multiple spheres formed again.
Hovering.
Controlled.
Everything—
Normal.
"…Nothing," I said.
"…Not yet."
Her voice didn't change.
Didn't doubt.
Just—
Waited.
So I continued.
Again.
And again.
Until—
There.
That feeling.
Faint.
But growing.
My focus sharpened instantly.
"…It's coming."
Aeris stepped slightly closer.
Watching.
Carefully.
The spheres trembled—
Not unstable—
But heavier.
Denser.
The air around them felt different.
Like it was being pulled inward.
Aeris' expression changed.
Just slightly.
"…There it is," she said quietly.
The pressure in my chest deepened.
Stronger than before.
Not painful—
But intense.
The spheres tightened.
Shrinking slightly.
Then—
Without command—
They moved.
Launching forward.
Faster.
Sharper.
Distorted.
They struck the dummy—
And again—
That pull.
That unnatural compression.
That momentary warp.
Then silence.
I lowered my hand slowly.
Breathing heavier now.
Because this time—
It wasn't subtle.
It was clear.
And beside me—
Aeris didn't look calm anymore.
Not fully.
Not like before.
Because now—
She understood it too.
"…That's not just another core," she said quietly.
A pause.
"…That's something else entirely."
My chest tightened again.
Because I felt it too.
Stronger now.
More awake.
More present.
Like it had been acknowledged—
And didn't need to hide anymore.
"…Yeah," I said.
"…I figured."